weser



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. A, WESER.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. No. 601,329 Patented Mar. 29,1898.

WRNESSESI I 3 INVENTOR WW; 247%? W ATTORNEY J. A. WESER. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 601,329. Patented Mar. 29,1898.

\NVENTOR M j. @w

BY M ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN A. WVESER, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,329, dated March 29, 1898.

Application filed July 30, 1897.

harmonic devices orattachments therefor.

. In the utilization of harmonic devices as attachments to string instruments, such as pianos, two classes of such attachments have been used. In one class the devices are arranged to be brought in contact with or adjacent to the strings and are vibrated when the strings are struck by the hammer. In another class the device is of such a nature and construction that it will swing in front of the string and be between the hammer and the string, so as to receive the impact of the hammer-head and be forced by it against the string.

My present improvements embody devices which are different from either of the abovementioned attachments. The action on the strings is by impact of pins a point below where the usual hammer-head strikes the strings, and the attachment is designed to utilize the hammer-stem asa medium for acting on a striker-pin which strikes the strings,

while the head of the hammer is left free, so that it may also strike the string or, if desired, come in contact with some other attachment.

The devices which are the subject of this invention are adapted to be embodied in the same piano with other harmonic attachments in. such manner as to be used in conjunction therewithior alternated as, may be desired, by the player, so that various other tonic devices and the mufflers heretofore in use on pianos, some of which I have described in previous patents granted to me, will be capable of joint or independent use with my present improved attachment at the will of the operator. As a result a piano with my present improvements attached may be used as an ordinary piano or as a muffler-piano, or as one provided with other attachments and my Serial No. 646,477. (No model.)

present improvements, or solely with my presentimproved attachment.

Various harmonic effects may be produced by the use of my invention 011 a piano, such as imitations of the mandolin, guitar, and other instruments.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the string-board of a pianoforte, showing the attachment and operating-rods, which are connected with a pedal mechanism. (Not shown.) Fig. 2 is a front View, on an enlarged scale, of my improved attachment as it appears detached from the string board. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of Fig. 2. Fig. 4.- is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of a pianoforte, showing the preferred form and position of my improvements and the manner of operating the same. Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4: with the hammer lowered and my improved attachment drawn out of operative position.

The diiferent parts of the piano and its mechanisms and the diiferentparts of my new attachment are indicated by the same letters on all the figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, A represents the back or string board of the piano or other instrument, to which the action-frame B is secured by means of posts 0 in the usual manner. 1) D are the strings of the instrument, also fastened to the board A by string posts or pins 0.

E is a movable bar or rod carrying a series of striking pins or plungers Z) Z). In the form shown by me in the drawings the bar E is a rectangular strip about a quarter of an inch thick, having holes through which the pins I) extend. The pins should slide easily in these holes and project from one edge or side of the bar E, so as to face the strings when the attachment is in operative position, as shown in Fig. 4, and they should be so adjusted as to each strike the proper string when pressed forward. The other end of each pin projects a short distance from the opposite side of the bar E, the pins and bar forming together a striking the strings.

bar. One end of the pins 12 b is intended to j the hammer-stem is thrown forward and the receive the stroke of a striker fastened on the hammer-stem, which will hereinafter be described. The two ends of the pins 1) may be designated one as the string end and the otheras the striker end. Asa means for retaiuingthe pins in position and insuring their proper action, I sometimes use a strip of leather or cloth d, which passes over the striker end of each of the pins 17 b, and the ends of this strip of leather may be glued or otherwise fastened to the bar E, so as to form a loop that will hold the pins in position and, in conjunction with the spiral spring 0, insure their proper action. A collar or stud s on the front portion of the pin, as shown in Fig. 3, will answer the same purpose as the leather loop d.

The bar E is secured to the pianoforte or other instrument preferably by means of swinging hinges G G, one end of such hinges being screwed to the bar and the other to the string-board or some convenient part of the instrument. The object of the swinging hinges is to cause the bar E to move in a curved path when its position is being changed, so that the pins 19 will receive blows of different force from the striker and their stroke on the will of the player, as hereinafter described.

Other mechanisms may be utilized for the adjustment of the pin-carrier bar E besides the one I have shown and good results obtained. For instance, it may be raised and lowered by a rod, causing it to slide up and down without the medium of swinging hinges. The difference in stroke of the pins will then depend on the point at which they come in contact with the triangular-shaped striker. I have shown the arrangement for adjustment preferred by me as being convenient when my pin-carrier bar is used on a piano and employed as I use it in a position below the hammer-heads.

H is an adjusting-rod secured to the pincarrier or bar E and communicating with the pedal mechanism, (not shown,) by means of which the carrier-bar E is raised or lowered or otherwise adjusted, as desired, by the operator, in order to bring the pins into position for contact with the strings by the stroke of the striker L or for throwing them out of such contact as may be required, and also for readily adjusting said bar in different positions, so that the stroke of the pins will be hard or soft, as above explained.

I is the hammer-head, which is used for It is of the usual form and is attached to the end of the stem K. L L are thepin-strikers and consist of auxiliary hammer pieces or heads for striking the pins 1). These strikers are secured to the stems K at a point farther along the stem than the hammer-head I. They are made of the proper size and form to impinge against the several pins or plungers b and cause them to strike the respective strings in front of them when pin-carrier rod is in position for such action. When the pin-carrier bar moves vertically or in the path of a circle, the strikers L are preferably made triangular in shape,as shown in the drawings, and attached to the stem so that the least projecting portion will be at the lower end or point farthest from the 11ammer-heads, which will cause the force of the blow on the pins 1) to be gradually decreased when the bar E, carrying the pins, is lowered.

The action may be provided with dampers M, carried by damper levers Z, which are thrown off or on by damper-lifters operated by connecting-rods from the pedal.

I have found the striking pins or plungers give a good effect when formed of metal, such as short pieces of thick wire, the metal end striking the string; but other and different effects may be produced by making the pins of other substances or by reinforcing their striking-faces with other materials.

It will be obvious that various modifications of my improved device and the manner of 3 using the same may be made by the judgment .1 of those skilled in the art, particularly where 1 other attachments are used in conjunction 5 with it on the same instrument. Such changes strings consequently be hard or soft at the struction may be readily made without deof form and arrangement or details of conparting from the spirit of the invention. I have shown the form of construction and location of parts preferably adopted which I have found produce good results; but I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the particular form of arrangement of parts I have shown in the drawings. For instance, I have shown a flat or rectangular pin-carrier bar, but any other shape of bar may be used 5 that willanswer the desired purpose. I have shown the spiral spring around the outer end of the pins, such spring resting against the i bar with the retaining leather strips; but such 3 springs may be located elsewhere or the antomatic withdrawal of the pins after contact iwith the strings may be produced by other means or dispensed with, and the office of the i leather strips may be performed by a stud or shoulder or other device. Various equivalent means may be used so long as the desired action of the pins is properly provided for. i In operation when the bar E is brought into action the forward movement of the arm or E stem K causes the strikers L to strike the 3 pins and force them against their respective strings, from which they automatically re- {bound after contact, when the striker is re- 3 moved, to a position where they will be ready lfor the next stroke. The exact position on the hammer stem of the striker L, which istrikes the pins, will be determined by the ,location of the pin-carrying bar and is one of g judgment on the part of the constructor. It

Ewill depend somewhat 011 the style of instrument. My improvements enable me to use the strikers beneath the hammers, and I find such position is of great advantage over the other attachments, which are located above the hammers and come between the hammers and the strings. My invention also permits and provides for the entire pin-carrying bar being below the hammer-heads, thus leaving the hammerheads free to strike the strings and the strikers L to strike the pins b at one and the same movement of the hammer-stems, if desired, when the keys of the instrument are struck. This permits of the stroke of the pins 011 the strings being graduated, as hereinafter described, so that their stroke will be hard or soft, while at the same time the hammers I strike the strings simultaneously with the pins.

The arrangement of the carrier-bar E so that it may be lowered in the path of a curve where hinges are used provides a means by which the performer in operating the pedal may graduate the force of blow of the strikers on the pins and the stroke of the pins on the strings. hen the bar E is thrown up into its highest position, the striker ends of the pins 12 will be at their nearest point to the hammer-stem and opposite the greatest projection of the triangular-shaped strikers L. The pins should be of such length and the striker of such size that when the bar E is in this position the hammer-heads I cannot reach the strings or strike them. In such case only the pins b will strike the strings by the operation of the hammer-stems and the stroke of the pins on the strings will be strong. By operating the pedal and adj Listing-rod H, and thereby slightly lowering the carrier-bar E, the force of the blow which the pins strike the strings is decreased, and the hammerheads I will advance far enough to strike the strings also. The force of the blow which the pins will strike the strings may be still further lessened by continuing to lower the bar E and various degrees of tone thereby obtained. Then the bar E is at its lowest point, the strikers will cease to strike the pins at all and the attachment be thrown out of action. In speaking of the strikers L as being attached to the hammer-stems at a point below the hammer-heads reference is had to an upright piano.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In string instruments aharmonic attachment consisting of a carrier-bar, and sliding pins carried thereby for striking the strings, said bar being located in front of the strings and secured to the instrument at a pointin the rear of the strings by hinged arms permitting said pin-carrying bar to move in the radius of a circle at a point below the hammer-heads substantially as and for the purposes shown and described.

2. In a string instrun1ent,a harmonic attachment, comprising a carrying-bar and a series of movable pins for contacting with the strings of the instrument, said bar being provided with means for retaining and guiding said pins when actuated by the stroke of a striker, and means for adjusting the bar in the path of a circle of which the strings form a chord,substantially as shown and described.

3. In a pianoforte the within-described carrier-bar and series of pins for striking the strings, with means for operating and adj usting the said bar, in the path of a circle, the center of which is behind the strings between the hammers or strikers and the strings, at a point below the hammer-heads substantially as and for the purposes shown and described.

4. In a pianoforte and similar instruments, the combination of the carrier-bar E, carrying pins Z), l), which are retained by and slide in holes through said bar, the springs c for withdrawing the pins, loops cl to confine the pins and the strings to be struck and strikers to strike the pins substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

5. In a pianoforte an adjustable plunger device such as the within-described carrierbar E and series of pins 1), b, for striking the strings, in combination with triangular or wedge-shaped strikers attached to the hammer-stems beneath the hammenheads as and for the purpose shown and described.

6. In a string instrument, such as a piano, the combination of a plunger device, consisting of a series of pins carried by a bar, and strikers for actuating the pins or plungers, said strikers being triangular in form attached to the hammer-stems at a point below the hammer-heads, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a pianoforte and similar instruments, a series of pins carried by a bar F said pins being adapted to strike respective strings when actuated forward by the blow of a hammer and said carrier bar arranged to be moved in front of the strings in the path of a circle, the center of which is behind the strings, in combination with strikers attached to the hammer-stems said strikers having receding faces and arranged so the impact on the pins will decrease as the carrier-bar is lowered, substantially as shown and described.

JOHN A. WESER.

IVitnesses:

A. BELL MALcoMsoN, HENRY SINGER. 

